Paralympics: S'pore rider Laurentia Tan misses dressage medal, finishes fifth; Gemma Foo is 17th

SINGAPORE – Equestrienne Laurentia Tan narrowly missed out on a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics after coming in fifth in the dressage individual test – grade I on Friday (Aug 27).

The four-time Paralympic medallist, who has cerebral palsy and profound deafness, and her horse Banestro scored 73.964 points at Tokyo Equestrian Park, three points behind bronze medallist Sara Morganti from Italy.

The event was won by American Roxanne Trunnell with a score of 81.464, while Latvia’s Richards Snikus (80.179) claimed silver.

Tan’s top-eight finish secured her a spot in the individual freestyle test – grade I, which will take place on Monday.

Her teammate Gemma Rose Foo, who has cerebral palsy, and her horse Gambler, finished 17th out of 18 riders with 62.750.

This is Foo’s third appearance at the Paralympics.

Both riders, and Maximillian Tan, next compete in the team test to music event on Saturday.

Separately on Friday morning, Nur Syahidah Alim placed seventh out of 24 archers with 682 points in the women’s compound open ranking round to advance to the 1/8 elimination round, which will take place on Monday.

The world No. 2, who has cerebral palsy and reached the quarter-finals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was satisfied with her performance.

She said: “I’m feeling very excited and I will hope to do my best in the finals during the individual elimination. Leading up to today, the training plan has been very intense and thorough.

“We will do our best to work closely with the training plan. The team, coach and the sports scientists at Singapore Sport Institute, they all have helped me to be where I am right now.”

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